Zhou Fan was born in 1983 in Shanxi Province in northern China.

In 2006, Zhou Fan graduated from the art department of Shanxi University. He participated in a solo exhibition and several group exhibition in his home province that year.

Zhou Fan participated in a museum show in 2007 called "Art Design" at the Zendai Art Museum in Shanghai, one of the top art museums in China's financial capital.

In late 2007, Zhou Fan was selected as one of the top 25 emerging Chinese artists (out of over 1300 applicants) at the Chinese Art Prize (CAP) by important international art critics, including Gerard Goodrow (Director of the globally famos Art Cologne) and Jeff Kelley (Curator of the Asian Art Museum in California). Zhou Fan was given the "special mention" prize, which had never been awarded before. The Chinese Art Prize launched Zhou Fan's career, and allowed him to gain much more exposure.

Also in 2007, Zhou Fan participated in Art Beijing, one of the top art expositions in China.

In 2008, Zhou continued to exhibit globally, with a group show in New York and an excellent reception for his work at Art Cologne in Germany, one of the world's most important art expositions. And in October 2008, Zhou Fan had his first big solo show at Art Scene China in Shanghai.

Zhou Fan's work was exhibited at the Doland Museum of Modern Art in Shanghai in 2009. The artist's work was also exhibited at the Toronto International Art Fair (TIAF) in October that year. Earlier in the year, Zhou Fan also held shows in Dubai and Bahrain in the Middle East.